Loose leaf binder operator



April 9, 1935. .1 BIRBAUM .71,997,447

LOOSE LEAF BINDER OPERATORl Filed May 12, 1954 FIG 1 J- Z gy r10 :.11 -zre''gzl ich g5 2744.-

jg "1' f Un m 9p Z4 um L@ 41"" 8 ZZ el; Z 7 ze 4Z l? Z2 FIG" 8 y FIG.4=

El; uw El "'[II El i 19 Z1 0 [621.: U

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 9, 1935 oseph 4Birbaum,`

,West Allis, ,assignon to o i "George Seelman &1rSons Company, Wis., aporpox'ation of VtisconsinI Milwaukee,

Application kMay 12;,f194l-vserial #5.240 Y y o L solainisgjwl.12o-24) The inventionrelates .tot loose leali'` :binders of the type in which complementary :arched prongs or hooks are carried on 'a pair of `spring-pressed toggle plates or bars capableof being :sprungsover I An -obje-ct of the invention center in either direction to 6 6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of an end vportionV hold the prongs in open or closed position. f l o is toprovidelarstrong anddurable binder ofthis type in which the togo-1` gie vmein-bers are` urged to prong-openinggposition by; rockable levers sogconstructed andmountecl as to 4facilitate assembly andgto permiteconomical manu-factore.,VU i

. Another object of the invention is to provide-a binder inl which the toggle" plates or. bars,prefer` ably dlll'aea are formed attheiradjacent `lgmgitudinal edges with intertting parts so arranged as to prevent relative endwise `shifatirlgof theA plates in either direction, -t-hL-isv avoiding misalignment ofthe complementary prongs. f The invention further consists in 4.the `several features hereinafter described and clamed.;; A In the accornpanyingl drawing,` f Fig. lisfa top plan viewof embodying the invention; ,A Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe binder mechanism, parts being broken away and parts being :shown in `section;A 3L

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the binder mechanism, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a secti-onalview taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. the parts being shown in unlocked position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken along Ythe line of a channel member forming part of the device, and Y Fig. 8 is a detail view of the toggle plates.

In the drawing, I D designates aframe comprising a resilient sheet metal housing or cover plate having the usual curved trough-like crosssection and provided with inwardlybent opposite side edges II and down-turned end flanges I2. Near its opposite ends the housing has openings I3 to receive rivets I 4 by which the housing is fastened to the usual book cover I5. At opposite side edges of the housing are pairsof transverse slots I6, and at opposite ends i of the housing rectangularopenings I'I are proyvided.

within the housing are` placed a pair of sheer metal toggle plates `or bars ,I8` with their inner` through the opening l? bottom faces of `the end Y i plates Iii..l The rivet view taken along the vline axis of the lever.

channel member 29, which .asseen in Fig. `5. V'I'he formed registering longitudinahedgesyin `roc'lkable engagement with `each other .andV their outer longitudinalfedges in rockable engagement witnthe `side edgesof the Ivin 'thephousing I5, the free 'endsofthecomw plementaryj prongs having an interiitting tongue-A andgrooverengagementL ,Y In orderto prevent relativeendwiseshifting,of thefprong-carryingi plates le.' a lug- 2I-is pinched from'theinneredge of each plate to fit within Va notch 22:.cut in ther inner edge of the other plate,

the lug and notch of eachplatebeing so located that-theywill properly intert with thoseof `the dupliCate1pl-ate..- In this:` manner; the comple-` y mentary prongs orhookson the `toggle platesare a loose leaf: binder K kept 'inl :register `tainsure, propen closing, 'and assemblyof thedevioeisiac-ilitated.` I d d Y Gperatingleversixidare provided at each end of thefhousing IB for. springing vthe'toggle plates vI8 upwardly to therebmopen @the prongs '25.;` Each "operating lever; consistingofqa sheetkmetal stamping, has a curved finger piece 2d projecting offset curved inner end 25 engageable with the |44 passes through an opening 26 formedin the lever adjacent the pivotal At opposite parallel side edges the lever is providedwith aligned trunnions or l tongues 2l.V VThe opening 2t is adjacent the rock-V ing axis of the levenl The `trunnions 2l, are fulcrumed in notches 28 formed in theupper edges of theV opposite side flanges of `a sheet metal extends longitudinally of the housing member lll `and ts between the inturned side edges I I of the housing member,`

channel member 29 isl preferably rigid and has a curved` bottom por-` tion `provided with openings 3lfor the rivets I4.

4The ends ofthe channel-member lie adjacent the these edges abut against the inner face'of the curved upper wall of the housing member, as

seenin Fig. 5. Notches 3l inthe upper edges and has a downwardly 'portions of thetoggle .l

1upper edges of the channel member are cut `v awayexcept vin region of the notches 28 where of the channel member provide clearance for the riveted ends of the prongs 20.` The operating levers 23t between the parallel side Walls or `flanges of Ythe channel member. Notches32 in the opposite sidewalls of the housing member provide clearanceV for the trunnions 21 during assembly.

When the. outerV ends of the operating levers are depressed by the thumbs or lingers, the levers rock on their trunnions and spring the toggle plates to their upper prong-opening position. The channel membenwhich forms a back mem'- ber for the binder mechanism, does not interfere with the spreading of theresilienthousing member during this operation. The opening movement is limited by the engagement of the innerA edges of the toggle plates with the housing. The binder is'closed by pushing together Vone or more pairs ofthe complementary prongs, the registration of the'prongs being insured bythe intertting'lugs and notches I9` and 20 of the toggle plates. Whiletwo operating levers are preferred,

itis vpossible to 'actuate the toggle plates with av single lever. f p Y v TheV transverse slots I6 at opposite sides of the .resilient'housing or cover plate I0 are each closed at both ends, thus greatly facilitating the plat-V ing-and polishing of the housing, since the absence of open-ended slots will avoid the interlocking of a group of the housings and prevent the distortion and damage which would be caused by'such interlocking; This construction also permits both sideslof the housing to'be alike for creating a uniform spring 'pressurefas well asstrengthening thev housing and avoiding sharp edges and corners which might damage the cover of the binder.

What I claim as new and'desire Letters Patent is: j

l. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of a frame, toggle memberscarried by said frame and having ring-forming hooks, a lever for springing said toggle members and having trunto secure' by ,nions, 'and a back member extending into` said frame and provided with apertures forming bearings forlsaid trunnions, said back member extending longitudinallyrof said frame and forming therewith an enclosure for said toggle members. l y

2. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of v a resilient housing member having hooked mar.

ginal portions, a pair of articulated toggle mem-l bersfretained in said marginal portions and having ring-forming hooks passingV through said housing member, a lever for springing said toggle members and having trunnions at opposite sides,V anda channel memberinterposed between said marginal portions and having ilangesrprojecting into said `housing member and provided with,

apertures formingV bearings for said trunnions, the web of said channel member forming Aa back for the housing member.

Y 3. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of a resilient housing member having hooked marginal portions, a pair of articulated toggle mem-V bers retained in said marginal portions and hav- -ing ring-forming hooks passing through said housing member, a back member interposed between said marginal portions, a lever fulcrumed on said'back member for springing said toggle members, and a fastening element connecting said housing member and back member and pass- Y ing throughV said lever.

4. In a looseY leaf binder, the combination of",v

a resilient housing member 'having hooked mar# y ginal portions, a pair of articulated toggle mem# bers retained in said marginal portions and hav-V ingv ring-forming hooks passing'k throughv Vsaid housing member, achannel member interposed between said marginal portionsY and having Y flanges which project into said hOusing-n'iember,`V the edges of said flanges engaging the inner face 

